MIT Mystery Hunt 2020/The Ferris of Them All

The Ferris of Them All is a logic-based puzzle from the Grand Castle round of the 2020 MIT Mystery Hunt. It features a sequential series of circles divided up into rectangular regions, and uses elements of several different popular logic puzzle types.

Puzzle Elements

• The Waterfall Effect - Each circular puzzle feeds into the next, such as providing givens or crucial markings, requiring solving of the previous wheel before being able to begin work on the next.
• Masyu - Spin 1 is a Masyu puzzle, albeit on an abnormal grid shape.
• Slitherlink - Spin 5 is a Slitherlink puzzle, again on an abnormal grid shape.
• Number Placement (Logic Puzzle Type) - While there is no specific named type of logic puzzle at play here, Spins 3 and 4 function via the placement of numbers based on a set of instructions and deductions.
• Colour Placement (Logic Puzzle Type) - Similarly to 3 and 4, Spin 2 does not contain a specific logic puzzle, but instead uses logical principles to place colours based on a specific set of instructions.
• Circular Grid - Unlike some circular grids that may have a center space for use in multiple radiating sequences, this grid acts more like a ring, with nothing being placed in the central space.
• Measuring Distance (Arbitrary Units) - Segments along the gridlines are measured during the extraction section of the Final Spin.
• Alphanumeric Substitution Cipher - The final extraction relies on the conversion of distances measured between two points to letters, although these distances only ever reach 24 at maximum.